Elva Garcia

Elva Garcia was born Elva Adela Martínez on August 10, 1937 in Alto Songo, Oriente Cuba to Antonio and Asunción Martinez of Moscardón, Teruel in Spain. Elva was one of seven siblings with her six beloved “hermanos”: Luis (Luisito), Norberto, Jose Cipriano “Chanito”, Antonino (Tony), Maria and Dario. Having lost her parents at the age of three, Elva and her siblings were raised by her paternal grandmother, Dominica in Cuba. At the age of 28, Elva married Antonio “Tony” Garcia on April 10, 1966 in Santiago de Cuba. Having completed secretarial school in Cuba, she worked at the Colonia Española, a medical clinic. In 1968, Tony and Elva emigrated to the United States, fleeing communism and made a new home in Boston, Massachusetts. They lived in a small apartment on Chester Street in Allston. For her first job in the US, Elva worked at the John Hancock Life Insurance Company beginning in September 1968. It was her best friend Nira who helped her obtain this position as an account clerk; she vouched for her skill with numbers despite the language barrier. Soon after, in 1971, her father and mother-in-law Antonio Luis Garcia (Ñico) and Maria Visitación Garcia (Visita) also left their home in Cuba, and came to settle with their family in Boston. The following year, her only daughter, Madelyn Garcia was born on March 18th, 1972. As Cuban families often do, Elva shared her home with her in laws, relying on them to help raise Madelyn. Later, in their final days, she remained dedicated to them, caring for them as if they were her own parents until they passed. In their final days, Visita and Ñico would tell her she was ‘like a mother’ to them. The Garcia family of five lived in Boston for 6 years before relocating to Astoria, New York, so that Tony could be closer to his brother, Rafael Garcia. Initially they lived in a second floor apartment over an Italian Cafe for 8 years on Ditmars Blvd before moving to another apartment on Crescent Steet in 1986. They paid for their daughter to study in Catholic schools and commuted into NYC for work. Over the years Elva held many book keeping jobs at different banks, constantly changing positions as banks downsized or closed. Some places she worked were Continental Bank, Security Pacific, First American, Key Bank, Banco de Bogotá and Sanwa Bank. She made many friends at work and received many accolades for her work ethic, dedication, facility with numbers and friendliness despite her broken English. In 2005, when her first beloved granddaughter Sofia “Sofita” was born, Elva moved to Rochester to be closer to Madelyn and her husband Stephen. Tony followed the following year. They lived in an apartment building on East Ave where they were loved by many who knew them. They could walk to Madelyn’s house and spent vacations and holidays together. Elva loved spending time with her three grandchildren: Sofia, Vincent “Vicentico” and Emma “Emita”. She was known for cooking on command: making lentils (sopa verde), frijoles, tortilla Española, platanitos and pollo ripiado. She had a sweet tooth, stealing cookies and telling the grandchildren “don’t tell mom”. She made countless puzzles, played Sudoku and loved playing Old Maid with the family. She rocked and held every grandchild in her arms for hours, falling asleep with them on her chest in the gliding rocking chair. She was a very, very good sleeper - able to pass out within minutes of the TV going on. She enjoyed sleeping in bed with Sofi, teaching her prayers in Spanish (Angel de mi Guardia and Ave Maria). She was Sofia’s godmother and her first teacher of faith. Elva was predeceased by Antonio, her husband of 43 years, who passed in 2009. She was also predeceased by her brothers Dario, Chanito and most recently her beloved eldest brother, Luisito in Cuba. Luis passed in the weeks before her own death, and the family did not tell her, but what a joy she must have felt to see them all again. She was a loving friend to everyone and she was a talker (spending hours on the phone with everyone who called her - she always made time, leaving household chores to wait, much to her husband and daughter’s frustration). She loved shopping at her favorite store, Macy’s and had the kids laughing out loud when one day she proclaimed she also liked “Bed, Bath and Behind”. She enjoyed going out to eat and BBQ chicken wings “pollito en el BBQ” and ho-dogs (translation: hot dogs, the “t” is silent in Cuban). She loved parties and being surrounded by friends at gatherings, visiting with people and long car rides with pretty views (saliendo a pasear). In April 2018, when her childhood best friend, Nira Infante passed away, Elva flew to Miami to support her husband, Eduardo during this difficult time. In Cuba, Nira, Elva and her sister Maria had grown up together as three little girls. They were like sisters and remained lifelong friends. When Madelyn was born, it was Eduardo who drove Elva to the hospital and Nira who welcomed Madelyn into the world in the delivery room! Eduardo and Nira would go on to become Madelyn’s godparents and also named Elva the godmother of their son, Eduardito. During the last 8 years of her life, Elva enjoyed the “snow-bird lifestyle” escaping the cold Rochester winters by spending half of the year in Miami, Florida with Eduardo. She and Eduardo made many train trips back and forth and even visiting old friends in Boston. They kept each other company and enjoyed time spent at the lake and celebrating holidays and birthdays with each other’s families. Their friendship persisted until her last breath with Eduardo faithfully by her side at his home. She was attended by caring aids who came to love her and called her a “panetela dulce” or sweet-heart. Hers was truly a heart of gold. She was even once compared to “Bambi” for her innocence and lack of malice. Not one mean bone in her body - she tolerated and forgave everyone. She modeled the virtues of tolerance, chastity (love) and perseverance in a quite way that could be easily overlooked by the fast paced world around her.

She cared for everyone and put everyone before herself - always. She maintained friendships for decades and always reached out to people by phone. She was devoted to her family and a faithful Catholic who always prayed for others. Her grandchildren remember generous birthday presents and hand written cards (always laboriously hand selected so the sentiment was just perfect). She spearheaded efforts to ensure that her eldest brother who still remained in Cuba, Luisito, was always cared for by sending money and needed supplies like medications. From the little she had saved through hard work and discipline, she was generous. She had a soft spot in her heart for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, making donations for the children whenever she could.

She will be missed by her only daughter, Madelyn, her son-in-law Stephen Vega “Esteban” for whom she was like a mother and by her three grandchildren, Sofia, Vincent and Emma. Perhaps she will be missed most of all by her eldest grand daughter, Sofia who held a special place in her heart by virtue of being the first. Her memory will live on when we think of her spirit of kindness. She leaves a legacy of love which we should all aim to emulate Elva is survived by her daughter, Madelyn Garcia, Stephen Vega (son-in-law), grandchildren Sofia, Vincent and Emma, brothers Norberto,Tony, sister Maria as well as Eduardo Infante and his family.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Elva’s memory.

https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html

Madelyn Garcia

172 Council Rock Ave

Rochester, NY 14610

585.764.6183

[email protected]